SketchUp game exporter (Source)

zapwizard

i opened the file valve_sketchup_tools_config.rb and it says in here that build SMD file for import to the hammer engine is done for you but i tried to correct the Dir but it still dont work or perhaps valve release a duf plugin

The code in the Ruby file to automatically compile the SMD is old and inactive.
I have actually been in contact with a employee at Valve who worked on this plug-in.
He said they probably will be supporting it more in the future but current it is more of a in-between project. Also that the automatic compile stuff didn't make it into the public release, probably due to stability and the fact that more data would have be written into the model for the QC to work.

If you don't know a SMD file is the geometry for a model, similar to a Collada file. It has a paint-by-numbers style UV map that a compiler can then apply a material to.
A QC file is similar to the XML files packaged inside a KMZ. I describes the metadata for the geometry: Is this a static model? Physics model? Where do I find the textures? etc...
See this page on writing the .QC file. Search google for many tutorials and tools on compiling them. Once you know the work flow it isn't all that bad. Models in-game use a different material lighting scheme that isn't as complex as the brush work. This increases the game speed.

SMD files are blocks that make up the game world. These are the walls of buildings, floors, ceilings, trim work etc... And the majority of the game world. Each block or brush exported into the SMD file must be a convex object, have no lines splitting up a face, or any 2D surfaces. This is the primary purpose of the scripts we are trying to write.
See here: http://developer.valvesoftware.com/wiki/VMF

So far most of the screenshots I have shown are SMD brushes. What makes sketchup so much more powerful to me is that I can create complex geometry models in SMD that mixes with the less complex brush work in VMF and have them meet seem lessly in the game world.

For example I made the greenhouse model below in SketchUp.
All the parts of the building are VMF blocks, along with all the glass.
The many beams that make up the ceiling though would be intensive on the game engine.
So they were made into a SMD model file, and compiled into a game model (.MDL)
The model uses 100% in-game materials, so I didn't have to make anything new.
Making this type of object in-game would be nearly impossible with all the angles. It would also take forever to tweak and modify. But SketchUp components and mirroring fixes all that.
For example I wanted the player go be able to crouch and squeeze though the windows along the side. I had to make the windows 8 inches taller. Well in sketchup that takes about 15 seconds including adjusting the matching glass. In-game that would mean modifying about 100 object each by hand.

SketchUp:

In-game:

Real-world:

Gardentwine

i managed to use the cannonfodder StudioCompiler to create my Mdl but now when i try and load hammer it come up with an error (failed to load default scheme) WTF is this, and is it cause of a bugged mdl or something

zapwizard

It should not be due to a MDL file.
See here: http://developer.valvesoftware.com/wiki/Failed_to_load_the_default_scheme_file

Here is an example of model work that you can do in SketchUp. Both of these models were made in a few hours today.
All the models used existing in-game model textures I imported into SketchUp.
The white smoothed model behind each is the collision model that sets up the object physics.

Bonus:
The toolbox is very fun to play with as the tank, as it weighs quite a bit.

Gardentwine

your so good at making stuff i only wished i could get it to work, most of today i reinstalled cause my vista 64 system was so buggy dew to my part and alot of apps crash so hopefull now i have a fresh install i may have better luck

lets hope

timbo89

Any new information on this topic?

zapwizard

@timbo89 said:

Any new information on this topic?

I have been too busy using the exporter to write my tutorials yet.
However, I think the plug-ins are finally good for release. I have worked out most of the bugs.
I will get them uploaded tonight.

Here are some screenshots of a game map I am making based on a real theater near my house.
People will actually be playing the map of the theater while inside the theater on Halloween.
These images show just how accurate you can make a game map compared to the real-world.

Photo:

Sketch-up:

In-game:

zapwizard

Attached are the plugins, styles, and template I use for Hammer.
I hope to get some tutorials made in November, I am currently too busy with a deadline project for Halloween.

SketchUp Hammer CleanUp tools -Beta

RadioDead

When I try to install the plugins by going to Sketchup Plugins under the L4D authoring tools and go into the sketchup folder all I have is the valve_library folder -- the valve folder and other files that I am supposed to copy into the google folder are not there, any idea why or how to fix it?

zapwizard

@radiodead said:

When I try to install the plugins by going to Sketchup Plugins under the L4D authoring tools and go into the sketchup folder all I have is the valve_library folder -- the valve folder and other files that I am supposed to copy into the google folder are not there, any idea why or how to fix it?

Try to either re-install the authoring tools, or in steam right click on them, goto "Local Files", and "click on verify integrity of tool cache"

If they are still missing I would contact valve at: sketchuptools@valvesoftware.com

RadioDead

@zapwizard said:

@radiodead said:

When I try to install the plugins by going to Sketchup Plugins under the L4D authoring tools and go into the sketchup folder all I have is the valve_library folder -- the valve folder and other files that I am supposed to copy into the google folder are not there, any idea why or how to fix it?

Try to either re-install the authoring tools, or in steam right click on them, goto "Local Files", and "click on verify integrity of tool cache"

If they are still missing I would contact valve at: sketchuptools@valvesoftware.com

Yeah, I tried to uninstall the authoring tools and reinstall, but it still wasn't there. I have all my hidden files & folders showing too. I'll try to verify the integrity, which file do you right click on and go to Local files? The Sketchup Plugin folder in the authoring tool menu?

Killuminati91

hey zap, thanks for the plugins.

You still have to build everything like in Hammer if you want to export it as an vmf, right?
Each block still one group?

zapwizard

Yes, the exporter won't group things automatically.
Each single "Brush" in hammer is a single convex grouping of faces in SketchUp.

You can however group together other groups of convex objects in SketchUp into more groups and components and they will export as groups in Hammer. This makes moving them around in hammer much easier, they can then be un-grouped in hammer back into their smallest convex objects.
For example I would group together any objects in sketchup that I knew I was going to convert to a func_detail, or breakable window.

Components are also a HUGE help in Sketchup when laying out buildings.
Since most of the buildings in my Allegheny map are symmetrical I only had to model half the building, make that half a component and mirror it on the other side.

Gitaroo

can someone teach me how to load up the model in cryengine 2 sandbox 2 editor? I group a mode then exported it with playup from sketchup to a .dae file, then I try to open the .dae file in sandbox 2, nothing happen. I tried the load a model option but it doesn't take any format beside .cgf

Gardentwine

hi back into the modding scene. RLP

i was wondering if anyone has come up with some scripts, that can really help map making and modeling for source engine.

PS you dont need the plugin to make model directly into source now, you can make the model or map and export it as a vmf (hammer map file) and dl a prog called Propper this can make any vmf into a model for source. once you made it restart hammer and it will be in you prop_static list of models

alz

I'm totally screeching in to the last page without reading previous ones. Having said that, has anyone looked at: http://playuptools.blogspot.com/?

zapwizard

@alz said:

I'm totally screeching in to the last page without reading previous ones. Having said that, has anyone looked at: http://playuptools.blogspot.com/?

Yes, it has been mentioned in the thread. I haven't used it for a while now and they have made updates to it.

dsarchs

PlayupTools works very will with the new (free) Crynegine 3 (basically Crysis 2).

I had been interested in the Source engine before, but it seems very cumbersome. You can't just export SketchUP models that you would normally make -- in my case, for architecture projects -- but instead would have to model them in a specific, and time-consuming way.

Crysis (Cryengine 3, as above) works much better, for me. As long as your normals are facing the right way you can export normal models directly in to the engine. There's a fairly strict size limit on what can be exported, so complex models usually need to be sent in several different exports, but it's not too much of a hassle. The only real difference is getting a new texture library. You need DDS versions of square (256x256, 512x512, etc.) of the textures you want to use. Once you have these, though, the process is fairly automated.
It CAN get much more complicated if you worry about optimizing models for (playing) the game engine and creating dynamic/moving objects -- but even without worrying about any of that I get good looking results that I can walk through with at least 60 FPS. That's all I need.

Richard

Mate are you suggesting you now don't need to use playup anymore?

Can you give a detailed workflow?
And DDS textures via conversion of existing maps?

Would love to no more!

peter_shaw

wow, just discovered this thread. i used to make maps for half life and quake 3 with the game-editors. gonna try out this stuff when i get home (slow GPUs at work, don't think cryengine or source will run here ::D)

zapwizard

I seems that I haven't posted some of my newer (like last two years) SketchUp to game works to this thread.

First: I wrote a start to finish article on making games in the Source engine using SketchUp:
http://www.maximumpc.com/article/howtos/howto_make_left_4_dead_map_google_sketchup?page=0,0

My most popular project is Fan Feast: http://www.zapwizard.com/blog/projects/fan-feast/
It is a 1:1 scale near perfect recreation of a real world shopping center.
It was made for Fantastic Fest 2010, which is mainly a movie festival, but in 2010 they started including independent games. The coolest part is that people were both actually, and virtually inside the same building while playing the game at the festival. The map is made for the game Left 4 Dead 2.

There are over 300 custom textures to make the place feel authentic (Signs, graffiti, etc..)
All the building exteriors were made using the photo-match tool as well as the theater interior. The bowling alley interior was made directly from the source DWG files.
I choose SketchUp as my modeler for a few reasons: One its super fast to work in, and two it is made for real world architecture and so it makes matching the real world so much easier then in-game editors.

My longer on going project is Seaholm Power Plant: http://www.zapwizard.com/blog/tag/seaholm/
It will be a three map campaign for L4D2. It is based again on a real world location, also at 1:1 scale.
Most of the geometry for this map was made in SketchUp.

Another showcase project I did was the winning entry in the the World of Level Design story telling contest.
In less then three hours I was able to model a old rail road station, and in less then two weeks I put together the whole contest map.
http://www.zapwizard.com/blog/2011/04/world-of-level-design-winner-storytelling-level-design-challenge/

Trimley Railway Station (13) by Richie Wisbey, on Flickr